Dear Church Family,
One of the great joys of being your pastor is getting to see firsthand what God is doing through the heart, service, and generosity of this church.
Week after week, ministry happens because this church family gives faithfully. Children are taught the gospel. Students are discipled. Missions are supported. Needs are met. Lives are changed. None of that happens by accident; it happens because God has given this church a generous heart.
As we near the end of our fiscal year, I am grateful to report that we are not simply meeting our budget; we are exceeding it. That kind of faithfulness reflects a church that believes in the mission and is committed to seeing the gospel advance. This past year has been especially encouraging because we have seen that generosity produce visible fruit.
Through giving above and beyond our regular budget, our church family faithfully supported TNT 2.0, our capital initiative. Because of that generosity, we were able to complete our new children’s building, a space already being used to invest in the next generation. In addition, we are nearing completion of our new driveway and expanded parking area, improvements that will better serve our church family and the many guests the Lord brings our way. We expect this project to be finished before our summer events begin.
We are also grateful for the role of The Foundation here at First Baptist. Operating separately from our annual budget, the Foundation has been able to assist with these facility projects while also supporting missions and providing camp scholarships for our students. What a blessing it is to have those resources strengthening the work of ministry.
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Our desire is that our hearts remain aligned with what God values most; the advancement of His Kingdom and the making of disciples. At First Baptist, our mission is simple and clear: we are building a community of disciples who glorify God for generations. Every ministry we support, every missionary we send, and every dollar we steward is aimed at that purpose.
The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4:2, “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” Stewardship matters because every dollar given represents a sacred trust. Our church operates solely on the generosity of our members and supporters. We do not receive funding from outside organizations; the ministry of this church is sustained entirely through the faithful giving of this body of believers.
Below you will find the proposed budget for the 2026–2027 fiscal year. The overall budget reflects a 9 percent increase, driven primarily by rising healthcare costs for our staff and the continued growth of our church family.
As always, we want to operate with transparency. We encourage you to review the proposed budget, pray over it, and ask any questions you may have. Our business meeting and budget town hall will be held on March 15 at 2:30 PM, where we will walk through the details together.
Our churchwide vote on the proposed budget will take place on March 29. Because our church is congregationally governed, this vote allows our entire church family to participate in the stewardship and direction of our ministry. Your voice and participation help ensure that we move forward together with unity and shared commitment.
Church family, this is an exciting season at First Baptist. We are seeing growth. We are seeing generosity. We are seeing God continue to move among us. Buildings and improvements are helpful tools, but the real work is what God is doing in hearts and lives.
Thank you for your faithfulness this past year, and thank you in advance for your continued generosity in the year to come.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at josh@fbco.org.
Grateful to serve alongside you,
